Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-01-09


what learned they live In small huts, mo-
more than 1--we feet high, and feed upor
milk, refusing meat or anything viii
life. Their religion Is different from
spythipg IN India, and no one seems
10 know What or how they worshIpped
They have priests who keep away frou
public notice, living always In huts. fed by
the people. IL Is known that they are
polyandrous, and saw one woman who
was said 10 baye seven husbands. My in
ierpreter explained the marriage custom
when girl reached q marriageable age bel
father sold her. The price IL paid In buha
Ices, ~ which they have large herds. Aflei
this marriage, when the wife desires, she
chooses another husband, who buys into
partnership. so 10 speak, by paying tho
buGaloes 10 the first husband, who divides
with the father. had hard time getting
these people TO leave their mountain, AND
only by tempting their avarice did Isucceed
in getiingtwo men b. 20 with me. was par.
iiculaTly anxious to get them on account oil
their total difference from any race had
seen in India. They were whittier than the
Others and bad decidedly Hebrew cast OF
rouutenance. Their ruling passion was
avarice, and they used their sharp intellects
10 acquire everything possible. One ol
them carried this TO humorous extent. In
coming over on shipboard he learned seye-
raj English words, and used them to beg
articles. was the only one he respected,
and he undertook 10 supply me with cigars.
When we reached New York about three
hundred prominent men were invited 10
have q private view OF the tribes. Well,
sir, that Toda boned every last visitor for
some article. II he did not get what be
pointed TO he would end with:
TIgar?' meaning cigar. He asked
Henry Ward Beecher as well as the others,
and after the show was over presented me
with fifteen cigars. After that he learned
10 discriminate between good and bad
cigars, and only asked well.dressed visitors
for them. When he left the country he had
trunk full Of articles which he had col
lected. His iavorite question was Intwal-
loD?' meaning What's the price?' His
companion died in Providence, X. L., OF a
lung trouble.
"Afghans are VIGOROUSLY lovers Of their
country, and gave up the attempt TO get
any OF them. | went 10 Cabul to hunt for a
Monaghan dwarf, who was said to be there,
and mentioned the object OF my visit TO the
British Minister, whose power in Afghani-
stan is almost absolute. He mentioned to
me that two Afghans were chained In a
dungeon awaiting death for having made
an attempt, from political motives, on the
life OF q nigh official, and suggested that IL
/ would take them out Of the country and
never bring them back, he would have
them placed In my custody. That Is how
| came TO have Afghans In the collection.
They were skilful swOrdsmen, and gave
spectators cold chils when they got warmed
TO their work.
" Most of the other people were IIindoos,
Burmese, and Passes. They were COM
mon lot, spent their money IN opium,
candy, aud such things as circus-liie
affords. l visited many tribes, and often
failed TO get representatives, owing to their
UNIV illingness to leave. India is full OF
remnants Of strange races, that stick TO
their native soil interrupted by promises,
money. or pictures Of other lands. Invent
into the Hlmalaya mountains, but was
stepped in the confines OF Thibet. | also
EenId Of strange race OF white men, said
to live north Of Afghanistan, who were de-
scribed as being OF large frame, white
faces, blue eyes, and blonde hair. There
were traditions about them, but could
not locate them precisely. j went to Siam
and China, but took none OF the ma.
tlvcs Of the towns, and | feared to pierce
the interior owing TO the danger.
&" paid visit TO the Island OF CeylOn,
where had beard OF the Veddas. These are
the native wild men, and so scarce aud hard
to find that many OF the inhabitants OF the
island had never seen them. finally hired
a man to kidnapa Vedda. In this way got
two Of them, and they would have proved
great cuIiosities had they been brought to
America. | was forced to turn them loose
after Eve DAYS, because they refused TO eat.
drink. move, or speak simply glared at
their keepers. / brought over an Inhabitant
Of one OF the Andaman islands, in the Bay OF
Bengal, vicious, wild fellow, who grew
rather quiet and docile before we reached
America.
"You remember there were three Nautch
girls in the collection. / had great deal Of
trouble IN securing them, because this class
of females made living for their parents at
home, and, although DESTROYS OF going
with me, were compelledtO remain. Other
wise | could have had them easily, for flesh
is feaTfully marketable and cheap IN India.
l frequently had offers from mothers to sell
me daughters, and one old woman insisted
upon selling me very beautiful girl about
fourteen years Of age for 500 rupees, saying
that at least the child would be a pretty
playthmg. Whenever i heard OF Nautch
girls went IN quest Of them, but
usually found them ugly and I'M
skiliul. ! grew so tired OF seeing a
Nautch dance that | at last looked upon it
as bore. 1t is generally the recital OF
some narrowing loye.tale, where the girls
walk through their parts TO the furious and
painful accompaniment OF tom.toms. At
last found Just what wanted at the city
OF Taniore-four very handsome girls,
who could dance and pose gracefully.
They were dancing before the Moham-
medan princess who ruled the place, and,
through the courtesy OF the resident for
eigners, was allowed TO witness the per.
Torrance on November 14th, the Moham-
medan New Year. One Of the girls, who
has danced before the Prince OF Wales, was
covered with iewelry from head to foot,
and was the finest specimen OF womankind
! saw In India, These girls wanted to 60
with me, but their relatives would not
allow them. After another long seorch
found three girls at Hyderabad, whom ]
obtained.
Il did not 60 in any port OF India where
did not find missionaries, and kept clear
OF them, because | found they had no in
fluence, outside Of the French missionaries,
who assume the costumes and life OF the
natives. did not find a successful mis-
sionary in the interior. Few OF the ma.
tiyes knew Of any part OF the world beyond
Calcutta. / found the tracks OF several
Americans, and as Mysore the mahSrajah
welcomed me with open arms, because he
had heen visited by Blondin, the tight-rope
walker, fifteen years before, who had said
he was an American. He had so pleased
the mahaTajah that he expected to see me
do something wonderful because | was an
American. | pleased him by giving him
several a our colOred Autographs, which
he thought were oil paintings, aud had
framed.
al might add that the tribes hated each
other cordially, and As long as they were
thrown together did not establish social re-
ations. Several OF them made each others
but the Majority OF the tribes |
held no communication and desplsed one |
another, chiefly on account OF religious |
preiudiceS, because not two OF the tribes |
we're OF the same religion"
salad for u Modern Lucnlius.
A Paris corrpSnondenf nj tha Iondnn |